Steering mechanism for motor-vehicles.



v PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

G. W. RUSSELL. STEERING MRGRANISM ROR MOTOR VRRIGLRS.

A1PLIOATION FILED FEB. 9, 1903.

atented April. 18, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

CLAYTON w. RU

SMSELL, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

.STERING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 787,471, dated April 18, 1905.

Application filed February 9,1903. Serial No. 142,527.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, CLAYTON W. RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in thecouuty of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'Steering Mechanism for Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to lsteering mechanism for motor-vehicles, and more particularly to improvements in that' type of steering mechanism employing a steering-wheel lo- Vcated at the upper end of a steering-shaft.

My invention hasl -for its object toprovide a simple and eicient construction lwhereby the steeringwheel may be pivoted to the shaft, so as to be capable of being readily moved into a position such that it will not interfere with the movements of the operator when not in use, locked in position in firm operative engagement with the steering-shaft when in use.

To these ends my invention consists in certain novel features, which I will now proceed to describe and will then particularly point out in the claim;

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a motor-vehicle having my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view, one-haltl in vertical longitudinal section, of the upper portion of the steering mechanism. Fig. 3 is a plan section taken on the line f1: fr or" Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig.

4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 1/ 1/ of Fig. 2 and looking *in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a Vertical sectional View illustrating a modified form of connection, and Fig. 6 is a plan viewof the same.

In the said drawings, 1 indicates the body oi' the vehicle, and 2 the operator-s seat.

' 3 indicates the steering-shaft column, extending upward and rearward in an'inclined direction and terminating slightly above and immediately in front of the seat.

^ 4 indicates the steering-shaft mounted in the steering-column, which latter is provided with suitable bearings for said shaft, the vupper bearing being shown at 5. The shaft and may also be readily proper terminates at the upper end of the column; but said shaft has secured to its upper end ahead 6,' which forms one member of a hinge-coupling which unites the wheel 7 to the shaft. This head constitutes the male member ofthe hinge-coupling, the same being provided at its front end with an apertured lug 8 to receive the pivot 9 of the coupling, while its rear end has a recess 10 to receive the'locking-bolt of the coupling. Lateral ianges 11 at the base of the head 6 form shoulders or seats on which the female member may rest. The head is further provided with a shank or extension 12, which [its within and connects-said head with the upper end of the shaft 1L. It will be observed that the y head 6 is non-circular in cross-section at right angles to the axis ct' the shaft, being ot' the rectangular form in cross-section shown.

The female member of the hinge-coupling, which is connected to the wheel 7, is indicated at 13 and consists of a yoke-shaped member within which the the arms of the yoke being fitted on the pivot 9 and the arms themselves embracing between them the sides of the head, being adapted to reston the shoulders or flanges 11. The crossba'r of the yokecarries a is mounted a locking-bolt 15, provided with a spring 16, which causes it to tend to engage the recess 10 in the head 6. To prevent the lockingjbolt from turning, so that its bevel will always bein proper position, thesleeve 14 is longitudinally slotted at its outer'end, as shown at 17, to receive a pin I8, projecting from the shank 19 of the bolt# By grasping the head 2O of the bolt'said bolt may be drawn sleeve 14, in which out far enough to clear its endi'rom the recess 10, whereupon the two members of the coupling are disconnected and the wheel can be turned upon the pivot 9. In Figs. 1 to 4 the female member or yoke 13 is sho/wn connected with the wheel 7 by means of a connecting-piece 21, having a'shoulder 22 and threaded shank or stem 23, the latter extending into the hub ot' the wheel and secured therein by a sleeve-nut 24, which c lamps the said hub against the shoulder 22.

lt will be seen that by reason of. the construction which l'have devised the steeringf wheel is hinged to thesteering-shaft immediately above and in close proximity to the upper end of the column, so that the steering-shaft'is efliciently supported at its extreme upper end.

It will of course be understood that when the two parts of the hinge-coupling may be cates a rectangular recess formed in the hub disconnected by drawing outward the locking-bolt, whereupon the wheel may be turned upward and forward around the pivot 9, so as to give ready access to or egress from the seat. Vhen turned back into position, the .I

the operator wishes to take or leave his seat l struction it is practicable to locate the pivot4 tails of construction hereinbefore described.,

Wheel will be automatically locked to the i and shown in the accompanying drawings.

shaft in an obvious manner. The construction of the hinge-coupling 1s such that 1t Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by makes a strong and eicient connection be- Letters Patent. is-

tween the wheel 'and shaft and occupies little space longitudinally of the shaft, thus l bringing the wheel into immediate proximity with the upper end of the shaft and of the column.

It will be observed that since the head and yoke constituting the male and female members of the coupling are non-circular in form the torsional strain is taken by these parts and the pivot is relieved from them.

Obviously the details of construction may be modified without departing from the principle of my invention. The recess of the female member may be formed directly in the body of the wheel instead of in a separate piece,l as in the construction hereinbefore described, and in Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated such a modilication, in which 25 indiand arms or spokes of the wheel and having a pivot 26 on. one side and a locking-bolt 27 l on the other, by means of which the wheel is ut l connectedwith the head 28. 'ln this con- In a steering mechanism for motor-vehicles,

the combination, with a steering-column having a bearing at its upper end, of a steeringshaft mounted in said column and bearing and provided with a transversely-elongated head substantially rectangular in cross section transversely to the shaft, said head having a detent-recess in one end thereof, and a steering-wheel provided with a part having a. rec-- tangular recess to receive the rectangular head ofthe shaft, said part being pivoted at one end to the head on one side of the shaft, and a` beveled spring locking-bolt mounted in the other end of said part to engage the detentrccess, said pivot and bolt lying in the same transverse plane, substantially as described. ln testimony whereof l ax my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLAYTUN W. RUSSELL.

Witnesses: y

E. O. HAGAN, IRVINE MILLER. 

